Parcel receiving and delivering device.



.Patented Sept. 9, I902.

"0. 708,359. T. I.. BROOKS.

PARCEL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE. (Applicatign flied Kay 17, 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheat WITNESSESQ Z IN}EINOR in I 04 TTORNE YS.

No. 708,859. Patented Sept. 9, I902. T. L. BROOKS.

PARCEL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

(Application filed May 17, 1902.) I '(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

THEODORE L. BROOKS, OF PORT BYRON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR'TO HIM- SELF, L. H. KING, F. S. ROOT, 13. 0. SMITH, O. E. WETHEY, JAG. KICK,

YORK.

OF PORT, BYRON, NEW

PARCEL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 708,859, dated September 9, 1902.

Application filed May 17, 1902. Serial No. 107,802. (No model.)

To all whom it Wtag cancer-n.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE L. BRooKs,

of Port Byron, in the county of Cayuga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Parcel Receiving and Delivery Devices, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

IO This invention relates to improvements in parcel receiving and delivery systems, and refers more particularly to a system for the 'deliveryand collection of mail-matter in rural districts, and is also'applicalole for railway mail-service in receiving and delivering mailpouches at different stations along theline of travel'while the train is in motion.

The primary object of this invention is to expedite the collection and delivery of mail by carriers without stopping in traveling over the route.

Another object is to enable the carrier to collect and deliver the mailwithoutliability of injuring the contents of the pouches.

A further object is to provide suitable supports for the pouches, which serve not only to lock the pouches in their closed position, but also cooperate with fixed holding and locking devices to hold and lock the supports in position.

A still further object is to render the locking of the pouch-carriers as nearly automatic as possible. Y

Other objects and purposes of my invention 5 will be hereinafter clearly brought on t in the specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my mail receiving and delivering device which is located at one of several 4.0 stations from which mail or other matter is to be collected and delivered. Fig. 2 is an enlargedolevation, partly broken away, showing the receiving and delivering guides or supports for the pouch-carriers and the means for locking and releasing said carriers, the carrier just received. being shown in its locked position and the carrier to be removed or delivered being unlocked. Fig. is a still further enlarged elevation of the central portion of the device seen in Fig. 2, showing the locking member in position to receive the incorn- I ing mail 'or carrier, the carrier about to be delivered or withdrawn being locked. Figs. 4 and 5 are longitudinal sectional views through the holders for the carriers and the means 5 for locking the holders .to said carriers, the locking device being shown in its inoperative position in Fig. 4 and in its operative position in Fig. 5that is, in Fig. 4 the carrier has just been inserted into the receiving end of the guide and is automatically unlocked for permitting the withdrawal of the holder from the carrier, said holder being shown in Fig. 5 in its position just after being withdrawn from one carrier-and engaged with the carrier at the opposite end of the support ready to withdraw the latter carrier from said support. Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views respectively of the detached locking-dogs and the holder for the pouch-carrier. Figs. 8 and 9 are"perspective views respectively of the parts of the supporting-guides for receiving and delivering the carriers. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 10 10, 11 11, and 12 12, Fig. 2. and 14 are detail views of the upper ends of the pouches seen in Fig. l, showingthe method of opening the same. Fig. 15 is a detail view of the locking end of one of the carriers.

Similar reference characters indicate cor- 8o responding parts in all the views.s

I am aware that certain devices are now in use in railway mail-service for collecting and delivering pouches of mail-matter in which the pouches are engaged tightly by arms provided on the mail-cars and known as mailcatchers, or in the delivery of the mail the pouches are either thrown to the ground or else thrown in a receptacle at the side of the track. This method of handling the mail is well known to be detrimental to the contents of the pouch and also destructive" to the pouch. My invention is designed to overcome these difficulties in the handling of mail, both in the railway mail-service and in 5 rural-delivery systems, by providing a sup- Figs. 13 75 port for the pouches, which are collected and delivered with the pouch thereon without directly engaging or in any manner injuring the pouch or its contents.

In carrying out the various objects of my invention I provide each station with a support 1, a carrier 2, and one or more pouches 3 and 4, removably supported on the carrier.

In order to more clearly illustrate the operation of my parcel receiving and delivery system, I have shown in Fig. 1 a complete station equipped with two of the carriers, one at the receiving end of the support 1 and one atthe delivery end, each of which carriers is provided with pouches 3 and 4, a holding device 5 being shown in full lines upon the carrier at the delivery end of the support 1 and in dotted lines on the carrier at the receiving end of the support 1. This showing in Fig. 1 indicates that the attendant has just inserted the carrier having the filled pouches thereon into the receiving end of the support 1 and the holder 5 (shown in dotted lines) is unlocked from the carrier and carried by the attendant to the adjacent end of the carrier at the delivery end of the support 1, this latter carrier at the delivery end being unlocked in a manner hereinafter described and in the position to be withdrawn from the support 1 as the attendant continues on his route. The support 1 may be of any desired form, size, or construction, adapted to receive at one end the carrier2, containing the incomingmail or other matter, and to delivera similar carrier at the other end carrying either empty or filled pouches, the principle of operation being that one carrier is inserted into the receiving end and another taken from the delivery end, so that there is alwaysone carrier at each station. As seen in the drawings, this support 1 is mounted upon any fixed post or other fixture 7, located in proximity to the line of travel of the mail agent, said support being provided with a funnel-shaped end 8, which maybe designated as the receiving end, and with a lengthwise passage or guideway 9 for receiving the locking end of the carrier 2, presently described. This sup port is preferably hollow and is usually formed of cast metal, consisting of a main body 10and a removable plate 11, being similar in construction and adapted to be clamped together by suitable fastening means, as screws or bolts 12. The delivery end of the support 1 is also provided with a lengthwise guide or way 13, opening inwardly from its end face and extending to a point in proximity to the central portion of the support. The central portion of the support 1 is preferably enlarged for receiving and permitting the operation of one or more stop-pawls 15, each of which is pivoted at its central portion at 16 and is provided with oppositelyextending arms havinghook-shaped extremities 17 and 18, adapted to engage the adjacent ends of the carriers 2 when they are inserted into the guides 9 and 13. I also provide this pawl with depending arms 19 and 20, the arm 19 being inclined downwardly and forwardly toward the hook-shaped extremity 17 and cooperating with the inner end of the carrier 2 to automatically force the hook-shaped extremity 17 into engagement with a suitable slot or shoulder provided upon the carrier, this operation of my device being described hereinafter more in detail. The arm 20 extends downwardly from the central portion or hub of the pawl into an opening 21, provided in the lower face of the central portion of the support 1, said opening being normally closed by a swinging gate or closure 22. Thisclosure is preferably pivoted at one end at 23 in proximity to one end of the opening 21 and extends to the opposite end of the opening and receives a locking pin or bolt 24, which is inserted through apertures in the side walls of the opening and extends beyond the outer face of one of said walls for receiving a lock 25. The purpose of this opening 21 is to permit access to the pawls 15, which may also be designated as tumblers, whereby the recipient ofthe mail may readily unlock the carrier in the receiving end of the support and withdraw said carrier therefrom for the purpose of unlocking the pouches and removing the mail or other articles, after which any mail-matter it is desired to send out is inserted into the pouches, and the pouch or pouches are again placed upon the carrier in the manner seen in Fig. 1, and the carrier is then inserted in the delivery end of the support and locked therein by the sender of the mail by engaging the arm 20 and rocking the pawl 15 to engage the shoulder 18 with the adjacent end of the carrier. After this latter operation the closure 22 is moved to its operative position and locked in the manner previously described, so as to conceal the pawl 15 and its depending arm 20 and prevent any malicious tampering with the device. may be of any one of a variety of construetions; but I preferably use a U-shaped bar having opposite substantially parallel arms 26 and 27, the free extremity of the arm 26 being bifurcated and provided with an elongated slot 28 for receiving the hook-shaped extremities 17 and 18 as said arm is inserted, respectively, in the receiving and delivery ends of the support. The other arm 27 forms a convenient handle for the carrier and is separated from the arm 26 a suflicient distance to permit the free movement of the holder 5 thereon, or when it is unnecessary to use this holder, as in manual-delivery systems, the arm 27 is engaged by the hand and inserted into the receiving end of the support 1, there being sufficient clearance between the arm 27 and upper face of the support to prevent the hand of the mail agent from striking the support. This arm 27 is also angular in cross-section and is provided with one or more shoulders 30. The holder 5 is provided with a socket or lengthwise The carriers 20.

pawl 31.

opening extending therethrough from end to end, said opening being also angular in cross-section to fit the arm 27 and prevent the rotation of the holder thereon. This holder is provided with a pawl or detent 31, which is pivoted at 32 and is held in its locking position by a suitable spring 33, said pawl being arranged to automatically engage the shoulder 30 when the holder is slipped upon the free end of the arm 27.. In order to automatically release or disengage the pawl 31 from the shoulder 30 for the purpose of permitting the holder 5 to be withdrawn from the carrier, I provide the receivingor funnel end of the support 1 with an upwardly-projecting abutment 34, which is engaged by an arm 35, depending from and secured to the The abutment 34 and arm 35 are so arranged that when the carrier 2 is inserted into the receiving end of the support 1 to-interlockwith the pawl 17 the arm 35 engages the shoulder 34 and rocks the pawl 31 out of the path of the shoulder 30, whereupon the holder 5 is carried forwardly and engages with the carrier at the delivery end of the support 1. During this insertion of the arm 26 into the receiving end of the support the arm 19 of the pawl 15 is engaged by the advancing end of the arm 26, whichengagement automatically rocks the shoulder 17 into the slot 28, and thus automatically locks the carrier2 in said receiving end of the support.

When the device is used for railway mailservice, the carrier is inserted into the receiving end of the support with considerable force, and in order to relieve the jar and prevent breakage I provide a buffer 36, which is here shown as interposed. between a shoulder 37 on the interior of the support and the end face of the arm 26, this buffer being held in operative position upon-the support by any desired means not necessary to herein illustrate or describe, as it is evident that this buffer may be located in any convenient po- .sition to relieve the jar both upon the support and upon the carrier when the latter is inserted in position.

In order to prevent the accidental displacement or unlocking of the pawl 15, I provide a friction device, as a spring 39, which is in terposed. between the hub of the pawl and the adjacent wall of the support 1, being tensioned toward the hub.

I have shown in the drawings two pouches, either or both of which may be used injconnection with the carrier, one for parcels and v 'portlis secured at any fixed member, as 7,

the other for mail, the pouch 3 being usually in the form of a cylinder, made either of fabric or metal, and is provided with a removable top wall 40,havinga central loop. or socket 41, and-the side walls of the pouch 3 are provided with upwardly-extending ears or lugs 42 and 43, thelug 42 being riveted or otherwise secured to the side walls ofthe pouch 3 and is provided with an opening 44, which receives the arm 26 and is elongated vertically for permitting the pouch to be swung lengthwise of said arm, an extension '45 serving as a pivotal support or hinge for such swinging movement. The lug or car 43 is also riveted or otherwise secured tothe op posite side wall of the pouch 3 and is pro vided with an opening 46 for receiving the arm 26, while the loop 41 also receives the arm 26, and it istherefore apparent that when said arm is inserted through the openings of the lugs 42 and 43 and loop 41 the lid 40 is locked in its closed position and that when the carrier is inserted into the guides of the support 1 it is impossible to remove the pouches or the lid of the pouch. When the recipient of the mail or other matter desires to remove the contents of the pouch, he unlocks the closure 22 and rocks the pawl 17 out of engagement with the arm 26 and withdraws the arm from the support. After the arm is thus withdrawn the pouch 3 is moved along the arm 26 until the lug or ear 43 is clear from the free end of said arm, whereupon the carrier istilted vertically, carrying the lid or cover 40 upwardly and opening the mouth of the pouch 3, whereupon the con-" tents are removed and the arm 26 reinserted in the opening of the lug 43 for again locking the lid 40 in its closed position. The pouch 4 is preferably formed of fabric or leather or equivalent pliable material, being provided with an open end and a lid or flap 49 for closing said open end. This flap 49 and the opposite side walls of the mouth of the pouch are provided with eyelets 50, and when it is desired to close and lock the pouch the flap 49 is folded over upon the side wall opposite to the wall to which the flap is hinged, with its apertures or eyelets alined with those of the side walls, and the open end of the pouch is then folded into lengthwise folds, with the eyelets alined with each other, and the arm 26 is then inserted through the eyelets in the manner seen in Fig. 1, thereby locking the open end of the pouch, and also when the carrier is inserted into the support 1, locking the carrier into position, the pouches are locked from malicious removal or interference with the contents. The holder 5 is provided with a lateral extension 52, by which the holder and the carrier are held in position, and may be either secured on a mailcar .when the device is used in railway-mail service or may be held by the hand of the mail agent either on the car or on any other vehicle, as in rural-delivery systems.

In the operation of my invention the suplocated at the delivery and receiving stations, and the pawl 15 is arranged in the position seen in Fig. 3. Assuming that there is no carrier in the delivery end of thesupport, the pouch 3, containing any articles which it may be desired to deliver' at the station, is then inserted or placed uponthe arm 26 of the carrier 2 in the manner seen in Fig. 1, and the pouch 4, which may also contain any matter, usually mail, is then folded in. the manner previously described and inserted over the free end of the arm 26. The holder 5 is then taken in the hand of the mail agent.

. same time that the end face of the arm 26 engages the downwardly-inclined arm 19 of the pawl 15, at which time the shoulder 17 of said pawl engages or interlocks with the slot 28, and the detent 31 disengages from the shoulder 30 of the arm 27, whereupon the holder 5 readily slips off from the end of the arm 27 at the receiving end and engages the corresponding arm 27 of the carrier 2 at the delivery end of the support 1, it being understood that this second carrier has been previously placed in this position by the owner of the mail delivered and received at that particular station. During this transit of the holder 5 from one carrier to the other the detent is automatically interlocked with a corresponding shoulder 30 on said carrier at the delivery end.

The operation of inserting the arm 26 into the receiving end of the support 1, as previously described, disengages the locking member 18 from the carrier at the delivery end, and therefore the continued movement of the holder 5 removes the carrier from the delivery end of the support 1 and is carried along by the car or mail agent without stopping.

It is evident from the foregoing description that a carrier has been inserted into one end of the support 1 and another carrier removed from the delivery end, the former containing the mail-matter to be received at that station and the latter containing the matterto be delivered from said station. When the owner of the mail or other matter desires to collect the same, he unlocks the closure 22 with a suitable key provided for the purpose and by withdrawing the bolt 24, whereupon the door or closure 22 automatically drops, and the owner of the mail then engages the arm 20 and rocks the shoulder 17 out of engagement with the arm 26, whereupon the carrier, with the pouches thereon, is withdrawn from the receiving end and the contents of the pouches removed in the manner previously set forth. After this has been done the owner or attendant at that particular station reinserts whatever matter he may wish to deliver, closes the pouch, and inserts the same upon the arm 26, and then reinserts said arm in the delivery end of the support 1 until the slot at the free end of the arm 26 is in position to be engaged by the shoulder 18, at which time the arm 20 is again engaged and rocked in the opposite direction for forcingthe shoulders 18'into the slot 28. The closure 52 is then, returned to its closed position and locked, and the device is then in position to be again operated by the 'that station, I usually provide different keys or looking members for the different stations. It is apparent that other changes may be made in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof. not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a support having a receiving-guide, a pouch-carrierinserted in the guide,and means concealed within the guide and actuated by the carrier during its insertion for locking the carrier in the guide.

2. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a support having a delivery-guide, a pouch-carrier removably inserted in the guide, movable means locking the carrier in the guide, and a moving body having means to.

move the former means to release the carrier.

3. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a support having receiving and delivery guides, a pouch-carrier removably inserted in the delivery-guide, movable means locking the carrier in the guide, a second carrier inserted in the receiving-guide and actuating the former means to release the former carnor.

4. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a support having receiving and delivery guides, a pouch-carrier removably inserted in the delivery-guide and additional means actuated by the second carrier for automatically locking the same during its insertion into the receiving-guide.

5. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a support having receiving and delivery guides, a pouch-carrier removably inserted in the delivery-guide, a locking member holding the carrier in the delivery-guide, anda second carrier inserted in the receiving-guide and operating said member to release the former carrier and to lock the second carrier.

6. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a pouch having an opening and a closure for the opening, locking members on the pouch and closure, and a carrier removably engaged with said members for locking the closure in its closed position.

7. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a pouch having an opening and a closure for the opening, locking members on the pouch and closure, and a carrier removably engaged with said members for locking the closure in its closed position, a support to re Therefore I do i ceive the carrier and means to lock the carrier to the support.

8. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a support having a guide, a pouch having one or more locking members, a carrierarm interlocked with saidmembers and into the guide, and means actuated by the insertion of the carrier-arm for locking the arm to the support and preventing the removal of the pouch.

9. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a support having receiving and delivery guides, a pouch-carrierremovably inserted'in the delivery-guide, movable means locking the carrier in the guide and preventing removal of the pouch from thecarrier, and a second pouch-carrier inserted in the receiving-guide and operating said means to release the former carrier and to lock the second car rier to the support.

10-. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a support having a guide, a carrier removably inserted in theguide, a holder for the carrier, means for locking the holder to the carrier, and additional means for unlocking the former means to release the holder from the carrier as said carrier is inserted in the guide.

11. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a moving holder, a pouch-carrier detachably mounted on the holder, a stationary su pport in the path of and receiving the carrier from the holder.-

12. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a moving holder, a pouch-carrier detachably mounted on the holder, a stationary support in the path of and receiving the carrier from the holder, and means locking the car rier to the support as the carrier is inserted into the support.

13. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a moving holder, a pouch-carrier detachably mounted on the holder, a stationary sup port in the path of and receiving the carrier from the holder and a locking device actuated by the carrier for locking said carrier to the support.

14. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a stationary support having receiving and delivery guides, a pouch-carrier inserted in the delivery-guide,amovablelocking member holding said carrier in the guide, a moving holder carrying a second pouch-carrier into the receiving-guide, and means for releasing the holder from the second carrier as it is engaged with thesupport, said locking member being operated by the second carrier to release the former carrier, and the holder engaging and withdrawing the former carrier from the support.

15. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a stationary support having receiving and delivery guides, a pouch-carrier inserted in the delivery guide,a movablelocking member holding said carrier in the guide, a movingholder carrying a second pouch-carrier into the receiving-guide, and means for releasing the holder from the second carrier being operated by the second carrier to release the former carrier and to lock thesecond carrier, and the holder engaging the former .carrier and withdrawing the same from the support.

16. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a stationary support having a guide, a

rocking pawl on the support,'and a pouchpawl, and a second pouch-carrier engaged by the support and engaging said pawl to trip the same from the former carrier and simultaneously lock the second carrier to the support and a moving holder depositing the second carrier on the support and picking up the released carrier.

19. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a pouch having a movable closure, the body of the pouch and closure having locking members, a carrier interlocked with said members, said carrier being removable from one of the pouch members and tilting upon the other pouch member to open the closure.

20. In a parcel receiving and delivery system, a stationary support having receiving and delivery guides, a rocking pawl on the support, a movable closure normally concealing the pawl, a pouch-carrier inserted in the delivery end of the support and engaged by said pawl, a second pouch-carrier inserted in the receiving-guide and operating said pawl to release the former carrier and to simultaneously lock the second carrier in position, a moving-holder for the carriers delivering one carrier in the receiving-guide and withdrawing the other carrier from the delivery-guide.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of April, 1902.

THEODORE L. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

H. E- CHASE, MILDRED M. NOTT. 

